Event: Of Blood and Honor Part 8a
Bare with me on this. Part 8a has a lot of ground to cover, leading to even bigger developments. This is part adventure from our game and part "creative liberty" on my part. While I've stayed true to keeping the story based around our gaming sessions, I find it hard to quickly translate a session into a story. So most gaming adventures go unwritten after they're done, with the details glossed over. I feel this one translated a bit easier, though. Of Blood and Honor Part 8a As the Lightning’s Ride broke through the upper reaches of Draven’s atmosphere, the silvery starship was soon joined by two X-wing starfighters, trimmed with green stripes. The starfighters flanked the freighter on either side as the three vessels began to speed away from the planet’s gravitational field. CJ opened the frieghter’s comm. to the fighters. “Bren, Ang… I’m sending over the coordinates for Darthin and then the jump point for pick-up to Phantom Station. Once you get there, ask for Rena and tell her I’m asking for you guys to stay there till we return.” “''Copy CJ''.” Angella responded. “''Thanks again for springing us.” “If I would have known it was you two in there, I would have come no matter what.” CJ responded. “We’re heading to make our supply drop then going to Jubilar. After that, we’ll meet up with you.” “''You’ve come a long way, kid.” Bren added in. “''You make an old man proud. Like I said, I’m putting you in for special commendation at the first chance I get.” “Thanks, Bren. Fly safe and may the Force be with you.” CJ added in before closing the channel. CJ went back to checking over her instruments, waiting for Arfee to let her know when the coordinates for their jump to lightspeed were ready. For a moment, she caught the reflection of Graydon, seated behind her, in the transparasteel of the cockpit. He was diligently working the sensors, but he looked distracted. Distracted wasn’t quite right, though. It seemed that in the last day, everything had changed. Not just with her, but with the whole group. The job they had excepted to come to Draven and free Selene’s friend had started out as a job. But now it had become an operation. A military operation. This was the official start of the war for CJ. This was the official start of the conflict against the Empire. The core group of what was going to become the Shadow Wolves had declared war on the Empire today. While their victory had been small, it was still a blow against the evil that had plagued CJ and her friends for many years. Her thoughts lingered on Graydon for a while, wondering why his demeanor had changed in the time they had spent on Draven. The group had been on the planet for less than a day, but the effects were noticeable. What had Graydon faced out there in the woods, separated from the rest of the group? While CJ and the rest of her crew had gone on to the Imperial garrison and freed the Wookiee, Bren, and Angella, Graydon had stayed behind to face a dark presence, alone, in the woods. :''The plants seemed to be alive on all sides of them, coiling and springing at them. Snapping with mouths that looked more like multi-jointed jaws, rather than seed pods. The glowing yellow eyes that the plants possessed were disconcerting also. :Later, Graydon had said that the plants had been affected by the Dark side. It had tainted the area, warping the trees and plants into abominations. But at the time, CJ hadn’t cared. The woods had come alive and were trying to eat them. Bas had stepped to the front to stand beside Graydon in defense of the group while CJ, Nessa, and Selene fell behind. It was the first time that the group had seen Graydon produce his Lightsaber and use it. :“You can’t do any more here.” Graydon had said to the group. “This falls on me.” :“But…” CJ tried to argue. :“No but, CJ. Go and free Selene’s friend. I’ll handle this.” Graydon interrupted. :CJ knew that Graydon was trying to track down the holocron that Master Verkaik had hidden away on this planet. He had wanted it found so that it wouldn’t fall into Danara’s hands. Sensing the Dark side permeating the area, Graydon was sure that he was on the right track to finding its hiding place. :Leaving Graydon behind, the four others had continued on towards the light Imperial garrison. CJ had worried about the coming confrontation with the Imperials. She knew that having Graydon along would have made it easier, but understood that he was being driven by a greater purpose at the time. Almost obsessively, Graydon had often stepped forward to lead the group when it came to anything dealing with Danara. :Breaking into the garrison, CJ and her friends had made short work of any confrontations they encountered. Getting into the facility through the waste system, they quickly transversed through the garrison to reach the detention block. Causing damage wasn’t their concern. By the end, most of the Imperials at the garrison were dead or close to it. CJ had taken on an almost bold, fearless demeanor, charging Stormtoopers and cutting down opponents. It was when she willingly stepped into the line of fire to face down the remaining Imperials to save a wounded Shalranna that everyone took notice of her actions. Bas had been caught unaware and could only stare as CJ faced overwhelming odds and came out, dragging the large Wookiee towards the commandeered speeder. Once inside, she used the weapons on the Imperial speeder to blow open the hangar and allow the group to escape. :Shalranna survived, along with everyone else. And this was attributed to CJ’s actions. While she piloted the vehicle towards Graydon’s location to pick him up, she had sat in silent determination. They hadn’t gotten away yet, but she was going to make sure that they all did by the end of the ordeal. :Picking up Graydon, he had simply said “I found it.” CJ nodded and then began moving the group towards the next challenge, escaping the planet in their ships. Her mind was still focused on the change in her friend when she received the go-ahead signal from Arfee. The nav computer was ready and she could take the ship to lightspeed at any time. She absently watched at the two X-wings flashed into hyperspace and disappeared from view. She then reached up and activated the hyperdrive, sending her own ship away from the fateful events of the day. ---- Graydon silently monitored the sensors as CJ piloted the ship away from Draven. This day had produced more questions and twists into his life than he really cared to think about. While he felt confident about his actions, there was a lingering shadow cast upon him. A whisper of doubt trying to sow seeds of failure yet to come in his mind. Possessing the holocron that had been hidden away years ago didn’t feel like he had achieved a goal. While he was now confident that he had taken the opportunity away from Danara to possess it, he was troubled by the Dark side spirit he had confronted. The Sith ghost had said that he would be perfect for her husband to possess. Graydon was sure that the Sith ghost had tried to sway him over to giving in to her, opening himself up to becoming her puppet. He was also sure that it wasn’t going to be the last time. But if he couldn’t be possessed or corrupted, what about those around him? Anna came to mind first, but he knew that even the young girl would be resistant towards the Dark side. Rashara and Allyson were his main concerns. The holocron, which contained many Sith secrets, had to be hidden away. The temptation for those secrets could be powerful. If his sister or cousin were to find out that powerful secrets inside the ancient device could help beat the Empire, they might be swayed. But both had received the same Jinsai training that he had. Perhaps his doubts were just being influenced by this outside source. The bigger question was this: What was he going to do now that he faced a new enemy, unlike any that he had faced before? The Sith spirit was a totally new type of opponent. He couldn’t affect her the way he normally would. His knowledge in the Force wasn’t great enough yet, either. Patience would be his only course of action for the time being. :Graydon walked through the woods, noticing that the plants had ceased their attacks, obviously deterred by the bite of his Lightsaber. A ground fog had begun to move into the area, bringing on an almost twilight feel to his surroundings. Ahead, he saw, rather than sensed, a figure in the mists, carrying what appeared to be a red-bladed Lightsaber. Preparing himself, Graydon advanced, on guard and wary of the potential new threat. :The dark feeling was now all around him, coating him like a veneer of oil on his skin. Graydon felt dirty and disgusting. He took a moment to calm himself and find his center. Once he was able to do that, his surroundings seemed to brighten a little. Still, he felt small against the encompassing darkness. The Dark side was thick here. It was also strong. Graydon felt as no more than a candle in the deep of night. :Stepping into a clearing, Graydon immediately noticed a figure across from him. The figure had it’s back to him, kneeling by a tree, frantically digging in the dirt by the roots. There was an immediate familiarity to the figure. Danara. Graydon recognized this as no more than a specter in the Force. He assured himself that Danara was far away on Antrixies and that this was going to be his first true test against the Dark side. :“Kill her now, before she takes it!” Came a whisper from the back of his mind. “Strike her down and take it for yourself.” :Graydon casually looked about, remaining on guard. The Force was still with him and he felt no danger. But there was a new presence in the Force here. A strong, dark presence. :“You know what will happen if she finds it!” The voice tempted him. :“I know that Danara is not here.” Graydon found himself saying in response. “Save your tricks.” :A ghostly shriek was the answer he received in return as the false specter of Danara faded away. Graydon turned towards a shadow stepping out of the mists, towards him. As it came closer, the details of this new Force spirit began to sharpen. A tall, elegant female with dark skin wafted towards him. :“Foolish Jedi.” It called to him. “You stand in the midst of such power and think you can win?” :“I’m no Jedi.” Graydon found himself answering. “I serve the Force. With it as my ally, your temptation is nothing.” :“Bold. Just like the old man before you.” The spirit stopped to take in the sight of Graydon. “My, my. You will do nicely for my husband.” :“I’ll not be your pawn, Sith witch.” :Suddenly, Graydon felt icy tendrils crawl across his skin as the spirit stared intently. Graydon steadied himself once again, centering himself within his years of Jinsai training. As soon as it had started, the feeling stopped. The spirit glared at him. :“So be it. If not you, then someone else.” The spirit said. “There will be someone else.” :“No, there won’t be. Not if the holocron remains hidden here.” :“I am able to reach here because of my holocron. Had the old Jedi not moved it here, I’d still be trapped on Trudaa.” The spirit was almost gloating. :Her statement was a slap that allowed Graydon to put things in focus. He had garnered enough information from Master Verkaik’s holocron to know that a Sith holocron was found on Trudaa and that Becca/Danara had attempted to use it. When he called the spirit here on Draven a Sith, it was very true. She was a Sith. She was a Sith that had probably existed long before the new Sith order that had taken with the Empire did. Pure power-hungry and evil. If she was a Sith, then she was an enemy of both the Jedi and the Jinsai… His enemy. He’d have to find a way to defeat her. But that wasn’t going to be here or now. :Begrudgingly, Graydon stepped forward to the place where the specter of Danara had been digging. He knelt down and began to dig into the damp soil until his hands struck a hard, pyramid shape. Freeing the object, Graydon stared at the black and red, rune-covered pyramid sitting in the palm of his hand. :“I’ll make sure this is destroyed properly.” He said quietly. It was a threatening promise. :“Oh little Jedi. You can try.” The spirit laughed. “Oh yes, you can try.” Keeping it out of Danara’s hands had been the whole intent of locating the Sith holocron as soon as the gatekeeper for Verkaik’s holocron spoke of it. Now that it was located, Graydon worried that it would corrupt someone else. For now though, it was protected and safe, along with anyone that might be swayed by it. Graydon took a deep breath and turned his focus towards the next step in their mission. He and his friends were going to pick up cargo and go to the remote world of Hoth. From there, he’d be going to find his sister… and meet up with Allyson in doing so. ---- (More Forthcoming) ---- (More Forthcoming) ---- (More Forthcoming) Continue Reading Category:Events